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How coronavirus turned Chinatown into a ghost town — Sales drop up to 70% at Chinatown restaurants in New York City

Chinatown in New York City has launched a ‘Show some love here’ tourism campaign in wake of coronavirus-related business losses

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

February 12, 2020

3 Min Read
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A butcher in New York City's Chinatown, where business has been dismal this month.Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images News

Joanna Fantozzi

 

As fears of coronavirus — more formally known as 2019-nCoV —hit the United States, it’s not uncommon to see people wearing medical masks on public transportation or panic-posting news alerts on social media. But despite the fact that New York City has zero confirmed cases of the deadly virus, the health scare has hit one particular demographic the most: Chinese-American businesses. Just as Flushing, Queens canceled its annual Lunar New Year’s parade “out of an abundance of caution,” the rest of New York City seems to be following suit.

In fact, Wellington Chen, executive director of the Chinatown Partnership said during a press conference in New York City’s Chinatown on Wednesday that he is pleading with New Yorkers to “show some love” to Chinatown restaurants, especially as Valentine’s Day approaches. On average, business for New York City Chinatown restaurants has dropped by 40%, while some restaurants are seeing a 70-80% loss in sales since the Lunar New Year celebrations began at the end of January.

“The fear and prejudice have to stop today,” New York City Councilmember Carlina Rivera said during the press conference. “There are a lot of things [going around] on social media that are at best not rooted in science, and at worst, offensive, demeaning and racist. We need to encourage people to pay attention to the facts.”

Related:Coronavirus headlines worry employers and workers, but health experts seek to dispel fears

Throughout February so far, Chinatown restaurants have been plagued with empty tables, with many restaurants seating only one or two parties every night. Chi Vy Ngo, general manager at Bo Ky, a Chinese and Vietnamese noodle spot in New York City’s Chinatown, said that his business has dropped by 60-70% over the past week. Thus far he has not had to lay off any employees, but he does not know how long the ghost town effect can last without damaging his restaurant in the long-term.

“My business is a mom and pop shop, so this affects us personally,” Vy Ngo said.

Of course, New York City is only a microcosm of what is happening in Chinese-American communities around the country. Restaurants in Oakland and San Francisco’s Chinatowns have seen business dwindle by 50%, according to Eater. Seven out of the 13 cases diagnosed in the United States have been found in California, although none have been contracted in San Francisco. Worldwide, the death toll connected to the virus just reached 1,100, soaring past the fatalities caused by the SARS epidemic in 2003.  

Much like the business owners in New York, the misinformation swirling on social media and real-world effects on businesses are intrinsically tied to racist fears:

Related:Lucky Lee’s – the controversial ‘clean’ Chinese restaurant in New York City from blogger Arielle Haspel — closes after just 8 months

“Besides the locals not coming in,” Sunny Wong, the owner of Oakland Chinatown restaurant Shooting Star Café told Eater. “A lot of people are trying to avoid Chinatown in general and avoid Asians, I would say.”

The sinopohibic attitudes likely originate with the heavily circulated theories that tied the origins of the coronavirus outbreak to a Wuhan wet market that sells live livestock and “exotic” wildlife, even though the earliest known case had no connection to the market and the disease itself passes from person to person, rather than though food, according to a report released by per-reviewed scientific journal The Lancet. Although there are legitimate health and food safety concerns associated with these wet markets in China, fearmongering and spreading rumors has only led to the furthering of stereotypes, Eater reports.

Whether Chinatown tourists and restaurant-goers are staying home for health reasons, due to racist rumors, or both, the coronavirus outbreak will likely have a major impact on Chinese tourism worldwide. According to the Associated Press, Tourism Economics predicts a 28% drop in Chinese tourism in 2020, as a direct result of the virus.  

The best way to combat the bad effects on business? Keep encouraging visitors:

“There’s only one word we can use and it’s trust: trust the city, trust the health department, and trust the CDC,” Vy Ngo said. “Please come out and show some support.”

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected] 

Follow her on Twitter: @joannafantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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